BOERNE, Texas — The Seguin Matadors may have found their winning formula last Friday. Now comes the challenge of making it work against one of the most explosive teams in Texas high school football.
Fresh off a 21-14 victory over Lockhart, Seguin (2-5, 2-3) heads west to Boerne ISD Stadium on Friday night for a District 13 showdown with the undefeated Boerne Champion Chargers (6-0, 4-0).
The Matadors enter the matchup with renewed confidence after delivering arguably their most complete performance of the season against the Lions, controlling the line of scrimmage, sustaining offensive possessions and shutting out Lockhart in the second half.
For Seguin head coach Gary Gutierrez, the biggest improvement came from the offense’s ability to consistently move the chains.
“I think one of the big things was we were super consistent on the chains on offense, and so that allowed our defense to rest up and make any necessary adjustments,” Gutierrez said during this week’s Matador Report. “Our quarterback run game really stepped up last week.”
Sophomore quarterback Avery Franklin rushed for three touchdowns in the victory, while senior running back Daniel Piñon helped fuel a Seguin ground attack that accumulated 256 yards.
Gutierrez believes the developing chemistry between Franklin and Piñon has helped his young quarterback grow more comfortable leading the offense.
“Daniel’s a leader. Daniel can take some pressure off a young quarterback,” Gutierrez said. “As they have practiced and played together, I think that the consistency has built confidence amongst the two.”
The offensive line also took a considerable step forward, particularly during Seguin’s final possession, when the Matadors protected their seven-point advantage by keeping the football for the final six and a half minutes.
That ability to sustain possessions could prove especially valuable against a Boerne Champion offense that has been virtually unstoppable through six games.
The Chargers have scored at least 55 points in every contest this season, including a 56-0 demolition of Lockhart on October 2. Champion rushed for eight touchdowns in that victory, with senior running back Caleb Farias accounting for five.
Sophomore quarterback Ryder Flugence has also emerged as one of the district’s most dangerous offensive weapons, directing a balanced attack that has overwhelmed opposing defenses.
But rather than allowing Champion’s impressive résumé to dictate his team’s approach, Gutierrez wants the Matadors to embrace the challenge.
“You want to play good teams, you want to play good players, because that should raise and elevate your play and your performance,” Gutierrez said. “It’s not about Boerne Champion. It’s about us, and we’re going to focus on us and let the chips fall where they may at the end of the day.”
Keeping Flugence and the high-powered Charger offense on the sideline will be a major priority.
“We definitely want to win the time of possession, and the more we can keep their offense off the field, the better our percentages are in the fourth quarter to have an opportunity to win the game,” Gutierrez said.
Defensively, Seguin will look to build on its second-half shutout against Lockhart, a performance highlighted by the emergence of freshman Jovani Monjaris.
Promoted from the freshman squad, Monjaris made an immediate impression in his varsity debut. Gutierrez credited the young defender with four tackles for loss and a forced fumble, praising his maturity and leadership.
Monjaris will travel with the Matadors to Boerne, providing another potential playmaker alongside defensive standouts John Hernandez and Nathan Walter.
Although past meetings between Seguin and Champion have frequently turned into offensive shootouts, Gutierrez has no intention of allowing the Chargers to operate comfortably on Friday.
“The biggest thing I can tell you is we’re not going to sit back and just let them do what they want to do,” Gutierrez said. “We’re going to shoot our shot at them. We’re going to go after them and try to give our kids the best opportunity to be successful.”
With undefeated Champion awaiting Friday and defending state champion Smithson Valley looming after the Matadors’ bye week, Seguin is entering a demanding stretch of its district schedule.
But after last week’s victory, the Matadors have something they have spent much of the season searching for: momentum.
The question now is whether they can carry it into Boerne and deliver their biggest upset of the season.
Friday’s game kicks off at 7 p.m. at Boerne ISD Stadium. Fans can follow the action live on KWED and SeguinToday.com starting at 6:15.